Yee Rah Wok & Grill

A wonderful thing happened recently. It’s up there (for me anyway) with a newborn baby’s cry or the smell of freshly cut grass: I got an email asking me if I wanted to go and eat loads of food from the new menu at Yee Rah Wok & Grill.

Never one to turn down a nice scran, and having been to Yee Rah before on a lovely sunny afternoon last year, I was more than happy to head back. As it turns out, as well, it was really handy because it’s on that upstairs terrace bit of Liverpool One (you know the one – opposite the cinema. Little bit indoors, little bit outdoors) literally just a few yards from the Clubhouse – which is where I was headed, afterwards, to celebrate Scarlet Wonderland turning dirty thirty.

Bearing in mind I didn’t want to fall asleep or have a heart attack in front of Scarlet’s family and friends I decided to go easy in Yee Rah and not overdo it. For the uninitiated, by the way, the concept of me ‘not overdoing it’ in a restaurant merely means I only had three courses instead of doubling up on starters and sides. I decided now was not the time to take on one of the Yee Rah Monster Challenges even though I did secretly fancy my chances (maybe one day when I’ve got my big joggers on for a ‘bit of give’).

Instead, I indulged my love of finger food with the Yee Rah Asian sharing platter: tender chicken satay sticks, mini racks of ribs, tempura prawns with perfect batter, spring rolls full of crunchy veg, and sticky chicken wings. Yes I did share it; but only so that I’d have enough room for a main course.

I was in the mood for noodles so ordered the Singapore noodles but wish I’d tried something else that I’d never had there before. Sometimes you just fancy sticking to what you know, don’t you, and I’d had my heart set on one of their more Asian inspired options rather than, say, one of the burgers or fajitas which are also on the menu. It was colourful and plentiful and ideal if you don’t like your food too spicy – and rather unusually had a bit of a sweet taste to it.

Afterwards, I had a tiny bit of dessert; a couple of spoonfuls out of a slab as big as an orthopaedic pillow of chocolate fudge cake. It was beautifully presented but totally surplus to requirements. It was called the Double Trouble chocolate cake, ffs – I really should’ve known better.

Now, I’m not a big drinker. This might surprise you, given how hopeless I am at navigating my way through life and the countless bad decisions I make (please see aforementioned friendship with Scarlet as ‘Exhibit ‘A’) so as it was only early on in the evening I stuck to soft drinks. But in the name of research (don’t say I don’t do you any favours) I had a quick squizz at the drinks list and they were all pretty reasonable. Plus a little bird told me they do 2-for-1 cocktails nearly all week long.

So all in all, you can expect a sharing platter or a couple of starters, two regular mains, and a shared pudding with a few soft drinks each for around £50, and when you take into account all the fab offers they often have on (student discounts, deals for cinema goers, etc) you realise it’s a decent option for an independent restaurant holding its own amidst a sea of big chains in Liverpool One.